Residents of Sitio Pawa, Barangay Sta. Felomina, Alburquerque have handed over to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Bohol Chapter the legal aspect of the long festering problem over the sanitary and health problems concerning the operations of a broiler poultry farm in their area.

Residents living in the area told DYRD Balita that the IBP has agreed to stand up for their cause against what they call “our living nightmare” which is the chicken farm owned by the family of Alburquerque Mayor Efren Tungol.

According to the affected residents, the broiler farm is located between the boundaries of Sitio Pawa, Barangay Sta. Felomina and Sitio Bonbon, Barangay Toril, Alburquerque, Bohol.

The farm has an existing broiler growing contract with San Miguel Pure Foods Company, Inc. and a starting capacity of 9,500 birds and has increased to more 120,000 birds, residents told DYRD Balita.

The ordeal of the affected residents came to a head after the uncontrolled proliferation of flies were swarming all over their houses accompanied with suffocating foul odor allegedly coming from the broiler farm.

According to residents of Sitio Pawa, households in neighboring sitios and barangays have been affected by flies and the foul odor that prompted a complaint filed before the local and provincial health office and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)

A resident of Sitio Pawa, on condition of anonymity told DYRD Balita that the management of the broiler chicken farm ignored recommendations of the provincial health office and the EMB.

Residents of Sitio Pawa expressed optimism that their problem with the broiler farm owned by the family of the mayor will be resolved after the May 9, 2016 elections. (Chito M.Visarra with reports from Allen Doydora)